Coronavirus: Australia’s vaccine diplomacy in Pacific islands eased tensions with China, PM Morrison said
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia has halted an ‘incursion’ by working closely with China and providing Covid-19 help before others offered support
- New Zealand reports its highest death toll since the pandemic began; South Korea logs 350,000 new Covid-19 cases
Australia was able to stop an “incursion” by Beijing into the Pacific islands by talking with leaders there weekly and offering vaccine aid, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday.
Concern over China’s military ambitions for the region, after it provided police and riot equipment to the Solomon Islands, prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to last month announce Washington would open a Solomon Islands embassy.
Morrison said China had been “very clear” about aspirations to build a military base in the Pacific islands, but this had not occurred.
This was because Australia worked closely with the region, including providing Covid-19 vaccines before others could offer support, he said in a TV interview with Nine’s Weekend Today.
“I talk to Pacific leaders every single week and that is what ensures that we can block the incursion into our region, because we share values with the Pacific,” he said.
Australia is historically the largest aid donor to the Pacific islands, although China has increased infrastructure lending and aid, and provided military equipment to regional hub Fiji.